Sporting Kansas City defender Jaylin Lindsey has joined the United States U-20 Men’s National Team for the first time ahead of the 2018 U.S. Soccer U-20 Men’s Invitational at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Lindsey and the U.S. U-20s will play three matches during the week-long training camp, facing the Jamaica U-20s on Friday, the USA U-19s on Sunday and the Venezuela U-20s next Tuesday, Sept. 11. All three games will kick off at 3:30 p.m. CT.
U.S. U-20 head coach Tab Ramos has assembled a 22-player squad for the invitational tournament, which gives 18-year-old Lindsey his first opportunity to compete at the U-20 international level. The U.S. U-20s are in the middle of their cycle that will hopefully see them qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Poland. Closer on the horizon, the Concacaf qualifying tournament will run from Nov. 1-21 and will also take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The draw for the tournament is set to commence on Sept. 13.
2018 U.S. Soccer U-20 Men’s Invitational Schedule
All matches played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida
- Friday, Sept. 7: USA U-19s vs. Venezuela U-20s (10 a.m. CT)
- Friday, Sept. 7: USA U-20s vs. Jamaica U-20s (3:30 p.m. CT)
- Sunday, Sept. 9: Venezuela U-20s vs. Jamaica U-20s (10 a.m. CT)
- Sunday, Sept. 9: USA U-20s vs. USA U-19s (3:30 p.m. CT)
- Tuesday, Sept. 11: USA U-19s vs. Jamaica U-20s (10 a.m. CT)
- Tuesday, Sept. 11: USA U-20s vs. Venezuela U-20s (3:30 p.m. CT)
Lindsey, a product of the Sporting KC Academy, became the club’s third-youngest signing when he became a Homegrown Player last September at age 17. The defender has enjoyed a breakthrough 2018 season under Manager Peter Vermes, starting nine of 10 appearances for Sporting KC in all competitions. He has also started five USL matches on loan with the Swope Park Rangers.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Lindsey joined the Sporting KC Academy in January 2015 and has earned playing time at the U-16, U-18 and U-19 levels in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. After impressing throughout his first full Academy season with Sporting KC, Lindsey signed an Academy contract with the Rangers on May 6, 2016. A day later, he became the first American player born in 2000 or later to appear in a professional match.
Lindsey featured extensively for the U.S. U-17s from 2016-2017. He was named to the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship Best XI after helping the U.S. to a second-place finish, starting five matches along the backline and tallying one assist. Last October, he helped guide the Americans to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India before falling to eventual champions England.
Lindsey has been a youth international since 2013, when he joined the U.S. U-14s for the first time. He also represented his country at the U-15 level before cementing a regular spot as a member of the U.S. U-17s.
U.S. U-20 MNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): CJ Dos Santos (S.L. Benfica; Philadelphia, Pa.), Brady Scott (FC Köln; Petaluma, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (8): Sergino Dest (AFC Ajax; Almere-Stad, Netherlands), Chris Gloster (Hannover 96; South Orange, N.J.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting KC; Charlotte, N.C.), Lennard Maloney (Union Berlin; Berlin, Germany), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Manny Perez (N.C. State University; Garner, N.C.), Chris Richards (Bayern Munich; Hoover, Ala.), Sam Rogers (Seattle Sounds FC; Seattle, Wash.), Sam Vines (Charlotte Independence, Charlotte, N.C.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Frankie Amaya (UCLA; Santa Ana, Calif.), Christian Cappis (Unattached; Katy, Texas), Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), Andres Jimenez (Envigado FC; Miami, Fla.), Alex Mendez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif. ), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas; Highland Village, Texas), Brandon Servania (FC Dallas; Birmingham, Ala.), Juan Torres (K.S.C. Lokeren; Lilburn, Ga.)
FORWARDS (4): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC; Detroit, Mich.), Shaft Brewer Jr.(LAFC; Sacramento, Calif.), Griffin Dorsey (Indiana University; Evergreen, Col.), Sebastian Soto (Hannover 96; San Diego, Calif.)
